Ecoterraces Technical
Specifications
Phase 1 Certification: EcoHomes Excellent (63 Booth
Street, 91 London Road) Phase 3 Certification: EcoHomes
targeted (Woodlands House - SAP 85-89)
Phase 1 (63 Booth St, 91
London Rd)
| EcoHomes Rating |
Excellent |
0.18% above threshold |
| Air Tightness |
8.1 m³/(h·m²) @ 50Pa |
91 London Road |
| Roof U-value |
0.147 W/m²K |
300mm Warmcel |
| Window U-value |
1.5 W/m²K |
Upgraded from 1.6 |
| Door U-value |
1.9 W/m²K |
58mm thick |
| Ventilation |
Sunwarm passive solar |
Heat recovery |
| Code Level |
3-4 achievable |
44% better than Part L |
Phase 3 (Woodlands House)
| SAP Rating |
84.99 (Band B) |
88.97 (Band B) |
| DER (kg CO₂/m²/a) |
22.08 |
16.67 |
| Floor Area |
77.94 m² |
103.14 m² |
| Wall U-value |
0.35 W/m²K |
0.35 W/m²K |
| Roof U-value |
0.15 W/m²K |
0.15 W/m²K |
| Floor U-value |
0.25 W/m²K |
0.25 W/m²K |
| Window U-value |
1.5 W/m²K |
1.5 W/m²K |
| PV System |
0.50 kWp |
2.00 kWp |
| Ventilation |
Individual fans + HR |
Whole-house MVHR |
SAP Ratings & Building
Regulations
63 Booth Street - EcoHomes:
Excellent (final certificate received) - Exceeded
threshold by 0.18% above requirements
91 London Road - EcoHomes score: Calculation in
progress at time of archive - Air tightness test: Completed
Code for Sustainable Homes Capability - Level 3:
Achievable (Newcastle Borough Council requirement) - Level 4:
Potentially achievable (44% better than Part L) - Level 5-6: Not
feasible (require 100% better / Zero Carbon)
Air Tightness Testing
| 63 Booth Street |
Certified |
Complete |
| 91 London Road |
8.1 m³/(h·m²) @ 50Pa |
Test complete, cert pending |
Testing conducted May 2008
2. Thermal Envelope
Roof Insulation
| Material |
Warmcel (cellulose-based) |
| Thickness |
300mm |
| U-value |
0.147 W/m²K |
| Alternative |
Kingspan products evaluated |
| Note |
Based on timber battens (metal would reduce performance) |
Windows
| U-value |
1.5 W/m²K (upgraded from 1.6) |
| Supplier |
Howarth Timber |
| Frame |
Timber or Composite |
| Composite option |
Velfac (market leaders) |
| Glazing |
24mm sealed units |
Doors
| U-value |
1.9 W/m²K |
| Thickness |
58mm |
| Panels |
Insulated |
| Security glazing |
Laminated (Secured by Design / PAS24) |
Thermal Details
- Thermally efficient cavity closers specified
- Bay windows: Custom specification
- Front windows: Custom sizing by Howarth
3. M&E Specifications
Heating System
| Boiler |
Worcester-Bosch Greenstar Junior 28i |
| Fuel |
Gas (primary) |
| Distribution |
Standard radiator system |
Hot Water
| Bath water |
Gas boiler |
| Shower |
Electric (8.5-9.5 kW) - primary source |
| Immersion |
None specified |
| Recovery |
Via boiler and Nuaire system |
Ventilation
| Nuaire |
Positive pressure ventilation (selected properties) |
| Sunwarm |
Heat recovery with unglazed collector |
| Passive Stack |
Option for 1 of 4 properties (free Nuaire installation) |
| Strategy |
Varying approaches tested across properties |
Solar/Renewable
| Solar gain spaces |
Glazed wall/roof rear extensions |
| Purpose |
Primary: energy savings; Secondary: floor space |
| Glazing |
Single glazed cavities (no double glazing) |
| Funding |
LCP Programme eligible (Sunwarm) |
4. Electrical Systems
Metering Configuration
| Supplier |
Universal Meter Services |
| Model |
Iskra ME160 & ME161 |
| Type |
Analogue and electronic |
| Size |
140mm x 100mm |
| Cost |
£25-40 per meter |
Circuit Metering Strategy
- 1 meter per ring main (upstairs, downstairs, kitchen)
- 1 lighting circuit meter
- Separate shower metering (high usage potential)
Baseline Meter Readings
(Handover)
| Gas (units) |
659 |
4492 |
| Electric (units) |
21031 |
2894 |
| Boiler (units) |
69 |
26 |
| Lighting (units) |
110 |
71 |
| Shower (units) |
0 |
1 |
| Heat Exchanger (units) |
57 |
64 |
| Water Heater (units) |
0 |
0 |
| House Ring Main (units) |
9 |
17 |
Lighting
| Initial target |
40-75% low voltage |
| Final approach |
100% low energy dedicated fittings |
| Type |
Cannot accept standard incandescent |
| LED |
Pursued as low energy qualification |
5. EcoHomes Requirements
Assessment Credits
| Global Warming Potential |
Data from insulation manufacturers |
| Construction Site Impacts |
Documentation required |
| Daylight levels |
Affected by nearby houses |
| Sound testing |
AEC Ltd (7 May 2008) |
| Security glazing |
Laminated to rear (PAS24) |
Responsible Sourcing
Evidence Required
- Brick, Composites, Concrete (including blocks, tiles)
- Glass, Plastics, Metals (steel, aluminium)
- Stone, Timber (Chain of Custody documentation)
White Goods (for Excellent
Rating)
| Washing Machine |
Matsui MWM145 |
A |
42L drum |
| Fridge-Freezer |
Indesit BAAN10 |
A+ |
249L |
6. Materials & Finishes
Flooring
| Main areas |
Bamboo (15mm thick) |
| Kitchen |
Non-slip (level with bamboo) |
| Ground floor WC |
Non-slip |
| Stairs/Landing |
Carpet |
| Bedrooms |
Carpet |
Sanitary
| WC |
Ideal Standard Spacesaver |
| Flush |
6/4 litre dual flush |
| Standard |
EcoHomes compliant |
External
| Shed |
1.8m x 2.4m minimum (3-bed requirement) |
| Bike storage |
Lockable bar fixing |
| Water connection |
Severn Trent - Project 15/286336 |
Cooker Hoods
- Type: Charcoal filtered
- Fitted to both properties
7. Monitoring Program
Framework
| First reading |
21 November 2008 |
| Coordinator |
Hockerton Housing Trust (Nick) |
| Duration |
24+ months |
| Data |
Energy consumption patterns |
| Survey |
Anecdotal resident feedback |
Metering Approach
- Baseline readings at handover
- Monthly/quarterly schedule
- Multi-circuit granular analysis
- Resident engagement component
8. Code for Sustainable
Homes Reference
| Level 3 |
Standard |
Achievable |
| Level 4 |
44% better than Part L |
Potentially achievable |
| Level 5 |
100% better than Part L |
Not feasible |
| Level 6 |
Zero Carbon |
Not feasible |
Note: Code applies to new build; EcoHomes applies to
refurbishment
9. Phase 3: Woodlands
House (46 London Road)
Woodlands House was a retrofit of an Edwardian semi-detached property at 46 London Road, representing an evolution in the Ecoterraces approach - moving away from passive solar techniques toward improved fabric specifications and photovoltaic systems.
Building Overview
| Total Floor Area |
77.94 m² |
103.14 m² |
| Ground Floor |
40.12 m² |
54.60 m² |
| First Floor |
37.82 m² |
48.54 m² |
| Dwelling Volume |
227.40 m³ |
308.81 m³ |
| Storey Height (GF) |
2.84 m |
2.90 m |
| Storey Height (FF) |
3.00 m |
3.10 m |
| TER (Target) |
23.61 kg CO₂/m²/a |
22.81 kg CO₂/m²/a |
| DER (Achieved) |
22.08 kg CO₂/m²/a |
16.67 kg CO₂/m²/a |
| SAP Rating |
84.99 (Band B) |
88.97 (Band B) |
| EI Rating |
81 (Band B) |
84 (Band B) |
| Compliance |
Pass (DER < TER) |
Pass (DER < TER) |
Predicted Annual Energy
Consumption
| Space Heating (Main) |
4,184 kWh |
5,791 kWh |
| Space Heating (Secondary 10%) |
418 kWh |
579 kWh |
| Water Heating |
3,045 kWh |
3,465 kWh |
| Pumps/Fans |
130 kWh |
130 kWh |
| Lighting |
591 kWh |
783 kWh |
| Total Primary Energy |
10,738 kWh |
11,375 kWh |
| Energy Intensity |
137.77 kWh/m²/yr |
110.29 kWh/m²/yr |
| CO₂ Emissions |
1,721 kg/yr |
1,720 kg/yr |
Thermal Envelope (Phase 3)
| External Walls |
0.35 W/m²K |
Solid brick insulated |
| Ground Floor |
0.25 W/m²K |
Solid/suspended insulated |
| Cold Roof |
0.15 W/m²K |
Cold roof insulation |
| Windows |
1.50 W/m²K |
Timber mock sash |
| Doors |
2.40 W/m²K |
Timber |
| Air Permeability |
8.00 m³/(h.m²) @ 50Pa |
Design target |
Heating System (Phase 3)
| Boiler |
Worcester-Bosch 30CDi |
| Type |
Sedbuk A-rated condensing combi |
| Efficiency |
90% (minimum 86%) |
| Hot Water |
Direct from combi (no cylinder) |
| Controls |
Thermostat, 7-day programmer, TRV |
| Interlock |
Boiler interlock fitted |
Ventilation Systems (Phase 3)
Plot 1 (2-Bed): - Kitchen: Vent Axia HD25 with heat
recovery - Bathroom: Vent Axia HD25 with heat recovery - WC: Individual
through-wall fans - Air permeability: 8.00 m³/(h.m²) @ 50Pa
Plot 2 (3-Bed): - System: Vent Axia Sentinel Kintec
B (whole-house MVHR) - Fans: 3 intermittent fans/passive vents (30
m³/hr) - Air permeability: 8.00 m³/(h.m²) @ 50Pa
Renewable Energy (Phase 3)
| Plot 1 |
0.50 kWp |
319 kWh/year |
| Plot 2 |
2.00 kWp |
1,276 kWh/year |
Note: Plot 2’s larger PV system (4x capacity) contributes to
better per-m² energy performance despite 33% larger floor area.
Water Efficiency (Phase 3)
| WC |
Twyford Galerie dual flush 6/4 litre |
| Bath |
Twyford Signature 140-litre capacity |
| Taps |
Lo-flow mixer with Aquation technology |
| Kitchen Sink |
6-litre aerator |
Materials (Phase 3)
| Structural Timber |
100% FSC certified |
| Finishing Timber |
100% FSC certified |
| Concrete |
100% recycled aggregate (RCA) |
| Flooring |
Softwood T&G boards (existing retained where possible) |
| External |
Roof tiles and bricks reused from existing structure |
EcoHomes Credits (Phase 3)
| Ene3 |
Drying facilities |
Rotary drying line in garden |
| Ene5 |
Low-energy lighting |
100% dedicated Newlec 4-pin fluorescent |
| Ene6 |
External lighting |
Dawn till dusk lights |
| Tra2 |
Cycle storage |
1.8m x 2.4m shed with locking point |
| Tra4 |
Home office |
2 x 2-gang sockets + double telephone on 1.8m wall |
| Mat4 |
Recycling |
Howden Triple Waste bin (40 litres) |
| Wat1 |
Water efficiency |
Dual flush 6/4 litre toilets |
| Wat2 |
Rainwater |
220 litre Polybutt water butt |
| Man2 |
Construction |
Considerate Contractors score 32-40 |
| Man4 |
Security |
Secured by Design (ALO: PC David Elkington) |
Key Differences: Phase 1 vs
Phase 3
| Project Type |
Refurbishment |
Retrofit (Edwardian semi-detached) |
| Passive Solar |
Sunwarm system |
Not used |
| PV System |
None |
0.50-2.00 kWp |
| Ventilation |
Sunwarm heat recovery |
MVHR / Individual fans |
| Roof U-value |
0.147 W/m²K |
0.15 W/m²K |
| Wall U-value |
Not specified |
0.35 W/m²K |
| SAP Rating |
76-77 |
85-89 |
| Monitoring |
3-year program |
None undertaken |
Source Files
Phase 1/2
- Energy:
Messages\Energy performance\
- M&E:
Messages\Production Information\M&E spec\
- EcoHomes:
Messages\Ecohomes\
- Monitoring:
Messages\Monitoring\
- Air Test:
Messages\Contacts\Air Test Results\
Phase 3 (Woodlands House)
- Specification:
Woodlands House\Files\Specification\Woodland House specification.pdf
- SAP Plot 1:
Woodlands House\Files\Ecohomes info\Plot 1 SAP.pdf
- SAP Plot 2:
Woodlands House\Files\Ecohomes info\Plot 2 SAP.pdf
- Drawings:
Woodlands House\Files\Tender drawings\
- Landscape:
Woodlands House\Files\Landscape drawings\
Source: Basecamp project archive 2007–2011. 834 MB, 759+ message threads, 2,352+ files. Analysis generated January 2026.